SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- Fresh Brands here said a strong focus on competitive pricing helped drive sales gains in the first quarter as the company reversed a loss in the year-ago period.Since rolling out a new "value...
MONTERREY, Mexico -- For H.E. Butt Grocery Co., the leap across the Rio Grande wasn't that far geographically, but it represented a cultural change unlike any the company has encountered in 75 years of operating in...
NEW YORK -- Loeb Partners Corp. here may have to either dig deeper into its pockets or be willing to wait a year or more if it wants to effect any major changes at Spartan Stores.The investment group, which has...
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores here is facing a stepped-up challenge from an investor group pushing for the sale of the company.Loeb Partners, New York, which has previously urged that Spartan be sold, is now...
CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch a public-awareness campaign by next week to educate consumers about the importance of keeping their refrigerators below 40 degrees, the agency said at the Food...
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Spartan Stores here said it would support expansion efforts by its distribution customers in eastern Michigan, but seemed to indicate it was not interested in acquiring the Farmer Jack banner...
CHICAGO -- Small food brokers can compete in much the same way that small retailers can: by focusing on customer service and differentiating themselves, said Bill Grize, the recently retired chief executive officer of...
CHICAGO -- Small- and medium-sized food retailers have an opportunity to grow if they execute well at the store level and exploit opportunities created by the weaknesses of their larger competitors, according to a...
There were some interesting things said about leadership in Chicago last week, and not all were said at the Food Marketing Institute show.Bill Grize, the recently retired head of Ahold USA, detailed what makes a great...
The traditional supermarket is no longer all things to all people.From Safeway's Lifestyle stores to A&P's Food Basics, supermarket operators are leveraging the knowledge they have about their customers to create...